Box gauge



Sept. 13, 1960 T. J. GROSS 2,952,076

Box GAUGE Filed Sept. lO, 1957 INVENTOR) ie 7/75000/75 J bass BOX GAUGE Theodore J. Gross, White Plains, N.Y., assgnor to Union Bag-Camp Paper Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Virginia Filed Sept. 10, 1957, Ser. No. 683,038

2 Claims. (Cl. 33-165) This invention relates to improvements in box gauges. More particularly it pertains to an improved gauge adapted for measuring the inside dimensions of boxes.

To the box manufacturer, customer complaints of incorrect size are not uncommon. Such complaints are generally diiiicult to deal with because the discrepancy is usually so smallthat, with diiferent methods of measurement, honest differences of opinion can exist. The inventor believes that the true inside dimension of any box is the shortest distance between opposite faces when the box is set up. The box gauge of the present invention can be placed inside an empty set-up box and gives direct measurements of inside dimensions, accurate to within a fraction of an inch. Y

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the type stated which is simple in design, rugged in construction, economical to manufacture, and can be easily transported to any location where boxes are to be used.

IOther objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts, which ywill be exemplied in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller'understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is `a plan View of the gauge of the present in- Vention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the gauge with portions cutaway;

Figure 3 is a section taken -along the lines 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a box with the lgauge inside in position to measure the depth of the box.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in Figure l a telescoping rod :and tube 11, each square in cross section. Secured to one end of the nod 10 is a flat plate 12. The rod 10 is marked with a scale reading 13. The tube 11 is tted with an automatic pin locking device, consisting of a pin 14, a knurled knob 15 and a spring plate 16 secured to the tube. The pin 14 extends through the tube 11 and into holes 17 drilled in the rod 10 at even increments of one inch. Thus the rod can be withdrawn from the tube for any desired distance merely by lifting the knob 15. When the desired inch mark is reached the pin is released and the rod is automatically locked in place at that point. -A small window 18 in the tube shows the inch setting at which the rod is locked. In addition to the automatic locking device there is a manual lock which permits locking the rod at any desired point on the scale. This manual lock consists of a threaded nut 19 secured to the tube 11, a screw 20 and a knurled knob 21. This manual lock permits locking of the rod in any position by the pressure of the screw 20 against the face of the rod.

\At the opposite end of the tube 11 is an extension adjustment consisting of a short threaded rod 22, to which is secured a dat plate 23 similar to the plate 12 at the other end, a knurled wheel 24 threaded to the rod 22, and a pair of plates 25 secured to the tube 11 and holding `the knurled wheel 24 and rod 22 in position at the end of the tube. The end of the rod 22 within the tube has aixed thereto a square block 27 which prevents rotation of the rod 22 and the plate 23 and thereby maintains the extension scale in the proper position to be viewed through the window as shown in Figure 1. On the block 27 is an index line 28 which cooperates with and moves along the scale plate 26 as the wheel 24 is rotated. The wheel 24, when rotated, causes the rod 22 to emerge from the tube and move through a distance of one inch. The amount of movement may be quickly and easily read to 1,46 from the scale plate 26 placed at the end of the tube.

To cover the wide range of box sizes normally encountered, it has been found advantageous to use several unitsV of varyingttube and rod lengths. In practice, it has been found that a set of three units will cover the great bulk of size variations.

In using the instrument to measure the length or width of a box, the box is first set up, that is, the bottom flaps are vfolded in place and the top flaps left open. Depending upon the size of the box, the proper unit is selected and the telescoping rod withdrawn to the largest inch mark which will permit insertion of the instrument into the box with the extension set at zero. The rod will lock automatically at this point. Placing the instrument in the box in the direction to be measured and with the flat plate at the extended end pressed firmly against one wall, the knurled wheel of the extension is then rotated until the flat plate at that end makes firm contact with the opposite w-all. It will be apparent that the instrument can be held and adjusted with one hand. The exact inside dimension is then read directly from the instrument by adding the number of inches shown in the small window at the lock to the fractional part of an inch shown on the Vernier. For example, if the dimension of the box is between 12 and 13", the rod is withdrawn until the figure 12 appears in the window. It is then placed in the box as described above and the 'knurled wheel rotated until both metal plates make contact =with the end walls of the box. lf, at that point, the Vernier reads 3/s", the exact inside length of the box is 12%. Width measurements are made in exactly the same manner.

In measuring the depth dimension, the instrument is operated in the same m-anner except that it is placed in an upright position on one of the bottom inside aps of the box. The opposite top inside flap and one outer flap of this box are then folded into normal position. The extension may then be operated with one hand by reaching through the opening left by the other two top flaps which are not folded in place. It has been found that a simple way to assure correct extension setting in this position is to place a ruler or straight edge across the folded down top flap, and, bearing down with firm pressure, extend the extension with the other hand until contact is made. (See Figure 5.)

The iiat plates 12 and 23 as shown in Fig. 2 ateach end of the instrument are important and serve a very useful purpose. When these plates are pressed flush against the opposite walls of the box, the rods 4will project at right angles from the walls and span the ICC Patented sept. 13, 1960A "This insures yan `accurate Lmeasurendent,

s iasaawa which might" result' from holdingtherodsfjat @an angle; i 1 `Since certain ,changesmav be made in thefaboveiconi y structionfand different embodiments of `the inventicn` 'f could bem'adewithout departingffromthe seope thereof, s

- it is intended that yalllrnatterA contain'edwin 'theaboveg de scription t or` shown `in the iaccornp'anyingy drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative `and not in a limiting sense@y k'It isalso toy be understoodxthat:thefollowing claims i 1. Abox gauge for measuring the Vinsidedimensions of'a box comprising a tube, a rodtelescoping into -said to which thefrod isfextendecl,k said (scale `marked onsaid rodatfsaid end adjacent to `saidloclting means, a threaded s movable membenat the endr of said tube opposite to said '2'5 locking meansprovided withan extension adjustment,

a `wheeltl'ireaded to said movablernember for .extend-` areiintended to cover allot the g'enericiandspecio'fea` tures of the'finvention herein described, ,and kall state@ ments of the `scopeof the` inventionwhich,`-as amatter' i lof lar'lguage,` might be' said torfall therebetweenzf' Having describedmy invention, what Igclaim as new i i and Vdesiieto secure by Letters Patentfis:

of `a boxy comprising a tube, a tube and adapted tolber extended forpredetermined i' units, locking means iitted'to one end ofsaidtube for? y locking ,said` tube to' said rod consisting of a pin Vex- ;tending transversely through said tube tofbear `inloel-y y s ing engagement withsaid'rod, spring means urging said` y pin kin lockingenga'gement andtknobdiscngagingimeans for retracting` said locking means fromr locking position,

.a measuringscalexshowing theunits to which the rod *'is.extended',fsaid scale marked on 'said rod at saidiend i i Yadjacent `tecsaid locking means, a threaded movable v yrnernber at ythe end of saidl tubeopposite togsaid locle, ying means; provided with an extension "adjustment, a- -wheel ythreaded/to said .movable member for extending K said movable' member by fractionsl of a unit, kmeans on opposite sides offsaidr ,tuber engaging said wheelr tof pre yfvent longitudinal displacement of saiduwhcely with reing said movable member `by fractionsof` a unit,rneansg spect I to said tube, saidtube beingk providedwithan 'onfopposite sides of saidrtube engaging's'aid wheel to preventlongitudinal `,displacementjof'saidWheel with re aperture located between fsaid means preventing Iongi-` n( t tudinal displacement exposing the threadsof saidy movf 'able'memben said tube being providedwithy aneXtension f scale alongside said aperture andbetwe'en saidmeans j' s preventing longitudinal"displacement whereby 'the screw 35;

threads on the" inside'ofsaid tube may be viewed against kthe yextension scale alongside said aperture, said ex-` tension scale showing the'fractions ofV a unit to Awhich said movable memberis extended` and flat plates mounted f at opposite ends of said rodand saidmovable `member f for contact with opposite walls of the box,-the distance between' the plates rbeing read directly onthe scales.`

2. -A boxigauge torrneasuringgthe inside dimensions,` f

spect to said tube, said tube being provided with an aperture located between said ymeans preventing longi-y t, tudinal ydisplacement exposingthefthreads of said movn able member, said tube being provided withan extension scalealong side said` aperture and between; said ,i means preventing longitudinal displacement whereby the f screwgthreads on the inside of said' tube may be viewed against the extension scale'along sidesaid aperture, said fext'ension scale showing the fractions of asunit to whichY saidfkmovable rnernberisr extended, -at plates Vmounted at' opposite ends 'of said rod iand said movable 'member "for contact withoppositewalls of the ybox, the distance y between theiplates rbeing read directly on the scales.,

` LRete.renc'iesCited inthe tile ot thisr patent f y l ,.UNITED STATES PATENTS rod telescoping into 1 such` tsss s 1887 v 

